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CRANFORD, NJ – UCNJ UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ is proud to announce that student Junaid Ilyas, of Roselle Park, has been selected as a Kaplan Leadership Scholar. Ilyas is one of only 11 students selected nationwide as a Kaplan Leadership Scholar.

The Kaplan Leadership Scholar Program, which is a part of the Kaplan Educational Foundation, targets students at two-year schools who demonstrate financial need, leadership potential, and educational acumen.

While pursuing his degree in engineering at UCNJ, Ilyas also serves as a tutor to his fellow students in the Academic Learning Center and is an American Honors student. Regarding Ilyas’ future, he plans to further his education by pursuing a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering, with a career goal of being a vehicle engineer. Specifically, he plans to be a part of the innovation side of vehicle design, creating ideas that he believes “other gear-heads would go crazy over.”

“Junaid is a dedicated student and is a great example of hard work resulting in tremendous opportunity,” states UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin. “The financial support provided by the Kaplan Educational Foundation is transformative, and we are proud of Junaid for being one of only 11 students across the country to be selected for this honor.” Ilyas is the fourth student from UCNJ selected as a Kaplan Leadership Scholar. Marlon Artega (UCNJ ’22) shared his experience being selected as a Scholar, which can be found here.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater UCNJ County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. UCNJ was named a semifinalist for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. For more information on UCNJ, go to https://www.ucc.edu/ and for more information on the Kaplan Leadership Scholar program, go to https://www.kaplanedfoundation.org/

CRANFORD – UCNJ UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ will offer a Google IT Support Certificate program beginning in March 2023. This 15-week program prepares beginner learners for entry-level jobs in IT support through online, independent study. Weekly, virtual, instructor-supported sessions guide students to program completion.

After completing the Google IT Support Certificate program, students will understand the core functions that are central to all IT support jobs, including troubleshooting, customer service, networking, system administration, operating systems, and security. They will know how to assemble a computer, write effective support documentation, route paths and subnets and manage device software. Students will also gain knowledge of Linux, cloud computing, and command-line interfaces.

This certificate prepares learners for in-demand roles such as Technical Support Specialist, Data Center Technician, IT Helpdesk Technician, IT Administrator, and Manager or Network Administrator. The program will take place from March 20th through June 30th, 2023. The cost to enroll in this online program is $500. Interested students can register at www.ucc.edu/ce or call (908) 709-7600 for additional details.

Pharmacy Technician is one of the fastest growing healthcare industries, with a projected 6.6% increase in job openings, according to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

For those interested in joining this rapidly growing industry, UCNJ UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ is hosting an information session to learn how to become a Pharmacy Technician in four months. The session will provide information on program details, apprenticeship options, and on-the-job learning opportunities. UCNJ staff will be present to answer questions.

These information sessions will provide prospective candidates with an overview of topics covered in the Pharmacy Technician program. Pharmacy Technicians are an integral part of the health care industry, as they collaborate with pharmacists and other healthcare providers in different settings such as hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies.

Information sessions are scheduled for:

February 2 at 10 am

February 14 at 2 pm

February 17 at 10 am

Applicants may be eligible for tuition reimbursement as an apprentice under the New Jersey HealthWorks Scaling Apprenticeship program.

To pre-register for one of these sessions, go to https://form.jotform.com/212845309542153

CRANFORD, NJ – Union College of Union County, NJ celebrated its Winter Commencement on January 12, 2023 at the historic Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway. Two ceremonies were held for Union College’s newest graduates who received their Associate in Science, Associate in Arts, and Associate in Applied Science Degrees, and Certificates. The graduates completed their degrees in either August or December 2022. This Commencement was particularly meaningful as it was Union College’s first in-person Winter Commencement since January 2020 due to COVID-19.

Union College’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin served as the Master of Ceremonies and welcomed graduates and attendees to the celebration. Each ceremony included a student speaker who was selected to speak to their class. The student speakers were Wakila Timmons, of Elizabeth, and Amir Abdelmalak, of Scotch Plains.

At both ceremonies, two awards were presented to the students with the highest GPA at each ceremony. The Alumni Prize was presented to Brian Laura Zegarra, of Elizabeth, who graduated with a 4.0 GPA and Amir Abedelmalak, who graduated with a 3.914 GPA.

Joceline Guerra Osorio and Shaneka Baker, both from Elizabeth, received the Abdallah-Thomas Memorial Award. The Abdallah-Thomas Memorial Award, which was established in memory of Ibtissam Ahmed Abdallah and Marquest S. Thomas, is awarded to two graduating students who have at least a 3.25 GPA, have participated in college life through service in college activities and/or sports, and have completed community service. Osorio graduated with a 3.941 GPA, and Baker graduated with a 4.0 GPA.

“We are especially proud of the class of 2023 for their accomplishments given that they began their college careers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Union College’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin. “They faced unique challenges, and their ability to persevere and remain focused on their goals will serve them well.”

Union College of Union County, NJ is a public comprehensive community college providing quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College enrolls almost 20,000 credit, non-credit, and continuing education students and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Union College has been recognized as one of the top 150 community colleges in the country for 2021 and a top 25 community college for 2023 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. For more information about Union College, please visit www.ucc.edu.

CRANFORD – UCNJ UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ, will offer a Google Project Management Certificate program beginning in March 2023. This 15-week program prepares beginner learners for entry-level roles in project management through online, independent study. Weekly, virtual, instructor-supported sessions guide students to program completion.

After completing the Google Project Management Certificate program, students will understand how to manage and run Agile and traditional projects from initiation to completion. They will develop the skills they need to successfully manage an array of projects, and they will understand organizational structure, business process and acumen, and communication and leadership styles.

This certificate prepares learners for in-demand roles such as Project Manager, Technical Program Manager, Supply Chain Project Manager, Process Manager, Project Management Analyst, and Compliance Manager. The program will take place from March 6 through June 16, 2023. The cost to enroll in this online program is $500. Interested students can register at www.ucc.edu/ce or call (908) 709-7600 for additional details.

CRANFORD, NJ – As inflation continues to climb and prices are on the rise, UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ Board of Trustees approved to not increase tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year. The decision was voted upon by the Board at their January 2023 meeting. This is fourth year in a row that UCNJ’s Board has voted to freeze tuition.

When graduating high school students consider their college choices, tuition cost is a significant factor. Thanks to UCNJ’s Board of Trustees, the College will continue to be an economically and academically strong contender for students. Students who live in UCNJ County and are taking a full-time schedule of 12 to 18 credits will pay a flat rate of $2,640 per semester. The Board also elected to decrease the tuition for out of county students.

Students who are New Jersey residents may also be eligible for other aid to further offset the cost of tuition. UCNJ students who enroll in at least six credits and have an adjusted gross income of less than $65,000 may be eligible to attend the College tuition free under New Jersey’s Community College Opportunity Grant; partial funding is available for those with an income of up to $80,000. Students who complete the FAFSA or NJ Alternative Financial Aid application are automatically considered. Additionally, the UCNJ County College Foundation has awarded over one million dollars a year in scholarships to UCNJ students for the past several years.

“At UCNJ, we put our students and their needs first,” stated UCNJ’s Board of Trustees Chairman Victor M. Richel. “Rising costs are impacting everyone, and we want to ensure that our current and new students receive an excellent education at the lowest cost possible. By being careful with our budget, I’m proud that we are keeping our tuition and fees flat for the fourth year in a row. While costs all around are rising, our students can rest assured that their tuition at UCNJ is not one of them.”

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater UCNJ County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. There are over sixty programs of study including Communications, Engineering, Health Information Technology, Supply Chain Management, and more. Students can participate in clubs, honor societies, and NJCAA athletics. The College offers many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ will be attending one of the top 25 community colleges in the country as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. For more information about UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ, go to www.ucc.edu

Cranford, NJ – The Elizabeth I. Kellogg Building, one of the buildings on UCNJ’s Elizabeth Campus, reopened for the fall semester. The Kellogg Building sustained significant water damage after Hurricane Ida flooded the lower level of the building with over four feet of water. Damages were repaired throughout the year and on December 1, the reopening of the Kellogg Building was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

On September 1, 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall in UCNJ County, with more than 40 UCNJ faculty, staff, students, and members of the public sheltered overnight across the College’s three campuses in Cranford, Elizabeth, and Plainfield waiting for the storm to subside. Due to the flooding caused by the storm, the Kellogg Building sustained electrical, structural, and equipment damage.

Over the next year, UCNJ’s Finance and Operations team worked diligently to reopen Kellogg as quickly as possible. The operations housed in Kellogg, including the Trinitas School of Nursing, had to be relocated until renovations were completed.

On December 1, UCNJ’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin was joined by members of the UCNJ and the UCNJ County community to officially reopen the building. Attendees included UCNJ Board of Trustees Chair Victor M. Richel, UCNJ Board of Governors Chair Mary M. Zimmermann, Foundation donor Jimmy Kellogg, Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Chief of Staff for Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis (LD-21) Kean MacLelland, Dean of the Elizabeth Campus Dr. Elizabeth Ramos, Vice President of Finance & Operations Dr. Lori A. Wilkin, and Dean of the Trinitas School of Nursing Dr. Roseminda Santee.

“We are proud of the effort and commitment to reopen the Kellogg Building and are here to celebrate that accomplishment,” stated UCNJ’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin. “We thank the City of Elizabeth and Mayor Bollwage for their assistance in this process. The Kellogg family’s donation and legacy lives on in this building, and it helps secure UCNJ’s presence in Elizabeth for many years to come.”

Speakers included Mr. Kellogg, Chairman Richel, and Mayor Bollwage. Following remarks, the ribbon was cut, officially reopening the Kellogg Building. The event concluded with a tour of the Kellogg Building.

The Kellogg Building is one of two buildings on UCNJ’s Elizabeth Campus. The College also has Campuses in Cranford, Plainfield, and Scotch Plains. In addition to physical campuses, the College offers more than 20 programs that can also be completed online as part of our emerging Virtual Campus. UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater UCNJ County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. UCNJ was named a semifinalist for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. For more information on UCNJ’s Elizabeth Campus, go to https://www.ucc.edu/admissions/visit-campus/elizabeth-new-jersey-college-courses/.

Cranford, NJ – UCNJ UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ has been selected as a 2022 PATH Scholarship recipient through the Ellucian Foundation. The PATH (Progress, Accomplishment, Thriving, Hope) Scholarship provides grants to higher education institutions to support students facing economic hardship. UCNJ received $10,000, which was distributed to over 40 students for housing costs, tuition expenses, and food.

This is the first time UCNJ has received the PATH Scholarship from Ellucian. The PATH Scholarship is provided by the Ellucian Foundation and was established in 2020. UCNJ is one of 65 higher education institutions to receive funding from Ellucian.

“Education has the power to transform lives. This year we are focused on support for students facing financial hardships at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and all Minority Serving Institutions in the U.S. as more focus is needed to ensure higher retention and graduation rates, and address the critical issues of growing food insecurity,” said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. “HBCUs and all MSIs represent an incredible cross-section of colleges and universities committed to providing access to higher education. We are pleased to support these institutions in their efforts to ensure all students can achieve their dreams without interruption.”  

In order to receive the scholarship, students had to apply and disclose what type of assistance was needed. The scholarship was based on need and distributed at the beginning of the Fall 2022 semester.

“The UCNJ community is grateful for the support Ellucian is providing to our students in need,” stated UCNJ’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin. “With this scholarship support, we are hopeful that students can focus more on their academics and be able to spend less time worrying about costs.”

“The Ellucian Foundation supports student success and increased access to higher education globally,” said Jennifer Welding, Executive Director of the Ellucian Foundation. “No student should ever be denied an education due to lack of funding.  The PATH Scholarship helps students navigate through financial challenges to reach their educational goals.” 

The UCNJ County College Foundation has given out more than one million dollars in scholarships to UCNJ students this past year. For more information, go to https://www.ucc.edu/union-county-college-foundation/. For more information on the Ellucian PATH Scholarship, go to https://stayonpath.org/.    

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater UCNJ County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. UCNJ was named a semifinalist for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The College operates campuses in Cranford, Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Scotch Plains. In addition to physical campuses, the College offers more than 20 programs that can also be completed online as part of our emerging Virtual Campus. UCNJ enrolls almost 20,000 credit, non-credit, and continuing education students and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. For more information, visit www.ucc.edu.  

Cranford – UCNJ UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ has entered into a transformative education partnership with Amazon to join the Amazon Career Choice Program. Beginning this fall semester, Amazon will provide its workers pre-paid tuition to attend UCNJ and learn new skills for career success. Amazon employees can enroll in all UCNJ courses and degrees for this partnership. The company now employs approximately 58,000 people in the state, making it the largest private-sector employer in New Jersey.

Amazon’s Career Choice program is an education benefit that empowers employees to learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere. The program meets individual learners who are on their journey through a variety of education and upskilling opportunities including pre-paid college tuition, industry certifications designed to lead to in-demand jobs, and foundational skills such as English language proficiency, high school diplomas, and GEDs.

“We’re excited to be partnering with UCNJ to give our tens-of-thousands of New Jersey employees access to pursue the education path that fits their passions,” said Colin Newman, Director of Economic Development for Amazon. “Whether employees are looking to finish their degree at UCNJ or build on their foundational skills, we’re prepared to meet our employees wherever they are on their educational journey.”

 “We’re committed to empowering our employees by providing them access to the education and training they need to grow their careers, whether that’s with us or elsewhere.” Tammy Thieman, Global Program Lead of Amazon’s Career Choice program. “We have intentionally created a partner network of third-party educators committed to providing excellent education, job placement resources, and continuous improvements to the experience. Today, over 90,000 Amazon employees around the world have already participated in Career Choice and we’ve seen first-hand how it can transform their lives.”

Amazon’s Career Choice program has a rigorous selection process for third-party educators. UCNJ is one of more than 140 colleges and universities strategically selected for the educational partnership.

“UCNJ is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Amazon and provide their employees with a first-rate education at a premiere community college which is focused on social justice,” states UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.” This partnership can greatly impact lives and communities by providing Amazon employees the opportunity to work part-time or full-time and receive a degree at the same time. We are also making a positive difference for our state and economy.” Dr. McMenamin noted that Amazon was presented with the 2022 Fiat Lux Award at the College’s 30^th Annual Gala. They generously donated $50,000 to support UCNJ students with scholarships to help ensure that their economic status is not a roadblock to their academic success.

The New Jersey State Senate President Nicholas P. Scutari, UCNJ County Manager Ed Oatman, and the UCNJ County Commissioners were instrumental in forging the partnership between UCNJ and Amazon. According to Senate President Scutari, “I’m happy to have helped facilitate this important partnership between UCNJ and Amazon. With Amazon being the largest private-sector employer in the State, the opportunity for a college education, funded by Amazon, is one that I hope many Amazon employees in UCNJ County will pursue. They will receive a high-quality education from UCNJ that will open doors to more career and professional opportunities.” Senate President Scutari is a lifelong Linden resident who attended UCNJ before transferring for more advanced degrees.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater UCNJ County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. UCNJ was named a semifinalist for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The College operates campuses in Cranford, Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Scotch Plains. In addition to physical campuses, the College offers more than 20 programs that can also be completed online as part of our emerging Virtual Campus. UCNJ enrolls almost 20,000 credit, non-credit, and continuing education students and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. For more information, visit www.ucc.edu.  

Cranford, NJ – Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin, President of UCNJ UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ, has been selected to serve on the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Governing Board (HACU) for a two-year term. President McMenamin joins more than 15 higher education leaders throughout the country on the HACU Governing Board. UCNJ is one of only five HACU Member Hispanic-Serving Community Colleges that are in New Jersey. This fall, 45% of UCNJ’s enrolled students and over 55% first-time full-time students identified themselves as Hispanic, the largest in the College’s history.

Based on the College’s Hispanic student enrollment, UCNJ is identified as a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). HACU was founded in 1986 and represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, and Europe. According to their site, HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

From the time Dr. McMenamin became UCNJ’s President, she has fully committed to the College’s Mission of “Transforming Our Community… One Student at a Time.” During her time at UCNJ, she has intently focused on student success campaigns, one of which is Inspire the Future which provides scholarships from the UCNJ County College Foundation to support Hispanic students who are on track to graduate. UCNJ has also made connections with outside organizations to create learning and career pathways to further support its Hispanic population. The Progresando initiative at UCNJ is supported by a Bank of America grant that aims to increase retention, course completion rates, and licensure pass rates for the adult Hispanic students in targeted healthcare programs.

“We are proud to have Dr. McMenamin represent UCNJ on HACU’s Governing Board” states UCNJ Board Chairman Victor M. Richel. “As a state with over one million Hispanic residents, we recognize the tremendous value that HACU brings to advance college access and quality for our students.”

Dr. McMenamin recently attended HACU’s 36th Annual Conference in San Diego, California. She was joined by six UCNJ students and the College’s Dean of the Elizabeth Campus & Institute for Intensive English, Dr. Elizabeth Ramos, at the October Conference. The HACU Conference provided students with distinctive networking opportunities with peers, educators, and employers.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater UCNJ County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. UCNJ was named a semifinalist for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The College operates campuses in Cranford, Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Scotch Plains. In addition to physical campuses, the College offers more than 20 programs that can also be completed online as part of our emerging Virtual Campus. UCNJ enrolls almost 20,000 credit, non-credit, and continuing education students and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. For more information, visit www.ucc.edu.

For more information on Dr. McMenamin’s role on the Governing Board of HACU, please visit: https://www.hacu.net/hacu/Governing_Board.asp.